Serendipity
by sharlaaloo143
Summary: Five different places where two people meet by chance. Funny how small the world is sometimes. AU. EDITED!
1. Boston

**Boston**

Mary Margaret Blanchard was visiting her mother's apartment in Boston the first time it happened. She didn't know it at that time, but it was the first city she was going to bump into one David Nolan. The first in the series of places that will get the ball rolling in their relationship. Of course, neither of them really knew what had hit them whenever they meet, but fate has a weird way of making things happen.

She was walking down the aisles of the grocery store nearest Eva's apartment, having been told to run down to get some ingredients for her mother's homemade lasagna. She had no problem about heeding to Eva's call since the dish was to die for, but she also wanted to get out of her hair since Eva's boyfriend suddenly decided to drop by to surprise her.

She'd rather not think about what was happening in there as of that moment.

That was why she was taking her time going through each aisle and selecting items her mother might need in her house. She already had all the ingredients she had to buy, but no one really goes into a grocery store without buying more than what one actually needs. Plus, Mary Margaret was craving some Apollo bars she caught a glimpse of earlier and decided to head straight to that aisle immediately.

When she got there, she was too busy finding that particular candy bar that she failed to notice her cart had bumped into a man who was crouched down, picking something up from the bottom shelf. Her cart was suddenly forced into a halt before she heard a curse and a dull thud. She gasped and pulled the cart back immediately.

"Oh, my God." She immediately went over to the man sitting on the floor. His hands were placed awkwardly behind him as if he was trying not to fall over. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to – I didn't see you…"

"It's fine," he laughed in embarrassment. "Could happen to anyone." She offered her hand to help him up to which he latched on immediately and smoothly got up to his feet. "Thanks."

When he was standing, she finally got to take a good look at him and felt her eyes widen slightly. He was cute, really cute. He had sandy blonde hair that was cut short and the bluest eyes. His clothes showed that he got a good fashion sense as well, starting with the collars of his polo peeking out of his sweater and dark-washed jeans. He was smiling at her, a half-smile that she swore only Disney princes could pull off. Then she realized he was smiling because she was staring for far too long.

"Um." She said, feeling her cheeks flame up in embarrassment. "I'm sorry again. I'll – uh – get out of your hair." She gave him a small smile before turning around, wincing slightly when she wasn't facing him anymore. Berating herself for acting like a fool in front of a cute guy, she couldn't help her groan when she realized she couldn't go back to get some Apollo bars. It'll be too awkward.

She spared one last glance back at him and immediately turned away when she saw that he was still looking at her, a smile playing on his lips.

Deciding that she had enough and her mother will stop whatever she's doing when she slams the door close when she arrives, she went over to the cashier to check her things out. She was rummaging through her purse in search of her credit card, feeling a bit anxious when she couldn't find it as the cashier waited for her impatiently. The woman gave her a pointed look when she looked up with a rushed smile, silently telling her to hurry up.

"Aha!" she said when she finally found it, gaining some odd looks from the other customers. She heard a chuckle beside her and looked up to see Prince Charming standing there, watching her with amusement. He looked so at ease, like he was modeling with a basket on one hand and his other inside his pocket.

"I'm glad I amuse you," she grumbled moodily as she signed the slip of paper the cashier had handed over. She couldn't wait to get out of the store.

She jumped slightly when he laughed then realized with embarrassment that he heard what she had said. "You're cute when you blush," he said with a smile on his face, placing his basket on the counter and pulling out his wallet. She tried to ignore how handsome his smile was as she glowered at him.

"I'll keep that in mind," she snapped, making his grin widen. With that, she took her bags and walked away, not giving him the chance to respond. She didn't notice the disappointed look that crossed his face when she headed straight for the door.


	2. San Francisco

**San Francisco**

San Francisco was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities she had ever been to. It had such an impact on her that Mary Margaret was already thinking of moving there when she graduates. She can definitely see herself living there for the rest of her life. The internship she had in the city was a requirement she had in order to graduate, and she couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity.

That day, she had nothing to do, so she decided to march down to the nearest coffee shop with a good book and her laptop.

It was nearing the end of the afternoon when she got up to pack her things. She had ordered another coffee to go because she had yet to taste coffee better than what that store offered. Her phone was ringing when she was walking out the door, balancing the coffee on one hand as she searched for it inside her bag. She was so busy and flustered that she failed to notice someone heading straight towards her. Someone who was too busy fumbling with his iPod to realize what was about to happen.

BAM.

"Oh, my God."

Mary Margaret looked at his ruined sweater in horror. It didn't help that it was light colored, making the stain impossible to miss. He hissed as the hot liquid touched his skin and pulled the soaked material slightly in response. He was still looking down and inspecting the damage when she added, "I'm so sorry. Here. Let me." She dabbed a few napkins on it and cursed when she noticed it was just getting worse.

He chuckled at her attempts and told her reassuringly, "Don't worry about it. Could happen to anyone." They both looked up at the same time, and the smile on his face disappeared. She blinked at him for a moment, hand pausing on his shirt. "Wait. Aren't you the girl…?" he trailed off, trying to remember.

"Grocery store. In Boston," she finished, smiling in wonder. He grinned at her. They both forgot their predicament at that moment as she pulled back her hand. "Wow. Hi. That… that was a year ago?"

"More or less," he smiled, placing his hands inside his jean pockets.

She smiled shyly at him, fumbling with the napkins. "What are you doing here in San Francisco?"

"Oh, um," he said, pointing behind him with his thumb. Like she could see exactly where he had come from. "I was visiting my girlfriend. She's studying in USF."

"Oh." She tried to keep the disappointment out of her tone. "Well. That's nice of you to do."

He just smiled at her. "How about you? Do you live here?"

"I wish," she laughed. "I'm only staying for two months. I'm taking an internship here actually."

"Wow, that's amazing," he told her, impressed. After that, they both had nothing to say, making them both realize why they were standing awkwardly in front of the coffee house. He looked down at the stain on his shirt again, making her bite her lower lip. She looked behind her and remembered the washing machine in her apartment.

"Look," she immediately said without thinking it through. "My apartment's not far from here. I can throw your shirt in the wash and have it dried in no time."

"That's really nice of you," he said, looking torn. She noticed that he had a small wrinkle in the middle of his eyebrows when he thinks. "But it's not really necessary. I appreciate your offer, don't get me wrong, but I can go back to the hotel and change. It's no big deal."

"No, I insist." Mary Margaret quickly said. "It's the least I can do. You wouldn't want to walk around with that. Come on." He hesitated for a moment before complying, following her lead.

They were both quiet all the way up to her apartment. She couldn't help the rush of heat to her cheeks at the thought of having a handsome stranger alone in her house. Her father would throw a fit if he finds out.

"Um." She dropped her keys into the bowl by the door. "There's the TV. Knock yourself out." He grinned at her statement as she took off her coat and hung it by the door. "I'll take your shirt and throw it in the wash."

It took no time for him to pull his sweater and undershirt over his head, and Mary Margaret struggled to keep her expression neutral at the sight of his tone body. Suddenly, she didn't know what to do with her hands and went to fix some magazines that were slightly out of place.

He cleared his throat to get her attention before handing it over. She flashed him a small smile and prayed to every god there is that it didn't look as deranged as she felt it was. "I'll – um – go then. Throw this in the wash. Um. You can watch TV," she said, looking anywhere but him. "Can I get you anything? I can heat up some leftover pizza."

"That sounds great." She heard a smile in his voice and him plopping down on the couch. She quickly headed to the laundry room and closed the door behind her. Leaning on it heavily, she placed a cold hand on her warm forehead, telling herself to get a grip. After throwing the clothes into the machine, she got a bit of detergent in before pressing the buttons.

Mary Margaret slipped out of the room quietly and saw that he had made himself comfortable on her couch and was watching some history channel. She quickly changed in her room into more comfortable, yet flattering enough not to scare him away, clothes. After which, she went into the kitchen to heat up the aforementioned pizza.

As the microwave hummed, she stared at it blankly, slightly lost in her own world for a moment. She jumped when she heard a phone ring. He picked it up, and she couldn't help but eavesdrop.

"Hey, babe," he greeted, a smile in his voice. She chided herself when a jolt of jealousy coursed through her veins. "I'm – uh – at a friend's house. I spilled some coffee over my shirt and needed some assistance." Pause. "No, I'm fine." Pause. "Yeah, I'll call you when I'm on my way back to the hotel. See you then? Okay. I love you, too. Bye."

The microwave beeped, making her jump again. She sighed at herself before pulling the hot plate out of the oven and heard footsteps coming in from the living room. "Something smells amazing," he said, grinning. She felt her heart flutter at a weird vision of him telling her that in the future. "I'm having my clothes washed, and I get offered pizza. I think this might be too good to be true."

She laughed at that. He ate in a typical boy fashion, but she still can't help but see him as a Disney prince. He looked more handsome than she remembered. And, no, it had nothing to do with him being half-naked in her apartment.

Light conversation and a few laughs happened in between him inhaling the pizza slices. For the both of them, it felt like time flew a bit too fast as Mary Margaret approached him later on with his dried clothes on hand. He had just finished placing the washed plate on the rack when she returned.

"Thanks for doing that," she smiled.

"It's the least I can do," he grinned, throwing her words back at her. After drying his hands, he pulled his undershirt on first before taking his sweater from her. "Thanks for washing this. Smells good."

"No problem," she replied, pushing her hands into the pockets of her jacket. "So. What's your plan for the rest of your stay?"

After pulling his sweater over his head, he was fixing it while he answered her, "Well, I'm heading back to New York tomorrow. My dad's not particularly happy that I'm on the other side of the country."

She laughed. "I'm sure he isn't." She saw that he was taking his time with his sweater, stalling, and she can't help her smile. "I guess, this is goodbye then." She offered her hand. "Nice to see you again."

He grinned as he shook her hand. He really does have a beautiful smile. "I wouldn't call our first meeting ending in a goodbye. You literally walked out on me."

She laughed again, shaking her head and pulling away from him. He added, smiling, "And this isn't goodbye. I'm sure we'll bump into each other somewhere. I'll be prepared with a shield next time."

Mary Margaret doubted it but smiled nonetheless. "We'll see."


	3. New York

**New York**

Emma Swan had not changed one bit since the last time Mary Margaret had seen her years back. She had her usual quick wit and humor with her that cold morning, in a coffee shop she and Mary Margaret had agreed to meet. Emma looked beautiful in her green sweater dress and black leggings, her hair tied in a loose ponytail. Her nose was slightly red, having just come in from the outside. "How have you been? I haven't seen you in a long while."

"Been good," she answered with a smile. "School's being a pain in the ass, but things are good. Dad wanted me to come here over the holidays instead of me going over to my mom's. Said he wants me to meet someone."

"Oh," Emma giggled, eyes sparkling with mischief. "A new girlfriend perhaps?"

Mary Margaret laughed. "I don't doubt it. I just hope this one will stick. For all our sakes'."

Their conversation went on for a couple of hours. "I'm sorry I couldn't tour you around today," Emma told her sadly. "Neal needs me right now. But what are you planning to do for the rest of the day? Maybe I can tell you some of the best spots and how to get there."

Emma's boyfriend's, Neal, dad was in the hospital that day, and Neal had just called to tell her that things were not going so well. "It's okay, Emma. I completely understand, and you should go. Call me if you need anything, okay?"

The two parted with well wishes to each other and promises to keep in touch. Mary Margaret made her way to the New York Public Library afterwards, marveling at the incredible reading area and the bookshelves surrounding it. She was scanning the titles of the books and found one that caught her interest.

When she did, she gasped and jumped at the face that greeted her from the other side of the shelf. Placing a hand over her thundering heart, she gave the face an apologetic smile before looking down at the book in her hands.

Mary Margaret didn't think about it too much until she heard someone clear his throat in front of her. She looked up from her book, and there was a wrinkle in the middle of her eyebrows as she scrutinized the man with glasses. "May I help you?" she asked.

His expression showed surprise before he chuckled. He leaned over, much to her discomfort, and said quietly, "Here I thought I made a lasting impression on you the last time, San Francisco."

Mary Margaret's eyes widened in realization. Prince Charming. Prince Charming from the grocery store in Boston, Prince Charming who took his shirt off in her San Francisco apartment. Apparently, he was also Prince Charming who wore glasses in the New York Public Library.

"What – how – what?" she stammered.

He laughed at her lost expression. "Are you always this articulate?"

"I just… I didn't expect to see you here." Her voice must have increased in volume because some people shushed her in annoyance. She sheepishly whispered an apology. Charming was looking at her with amusement on his face. "What are you doing here?" she whispered, trying to ignore how handsome he looked in glasses.

"I should ask you the same question, San Fran," he grinned. "Don't you remember? I live here."

She rolled her eyes playfully. "Yes, because I remember every single moment we've had together." His grin went impossibly wider. "It must have slipped my mind. Besides, even if I remembered, I highly doubt I'll be able to find you given how big New York is. You should know that."

"Why not?" he asked, amusement in his voice. "You seem to have a knack of finding me at odd times with the same surprised look on your face. I wouldn't be surprised if you suddenly show up at my doorstep."

She scoffed, flushing slightly. "I wouldn't go that far."

He chuckled, earning a few shushes himself. She bit her lower lip at the sight of his sheepish expression. He looked adorable. He looked down at her before glancing over at the notebook in his hands, as if remembering something. "Not that I'm not enjoying myself with you, but I actually have work to do. Some research work I have to rush. I think my adviser's planning my murder soon."

She nodded in understanding, a bit disappointed. "I'll leave you to it then."

He looked torn for a moment, making her smile. She grabbed his notebook and was about to write on it when she looked up to eye him, "Are you still with her?"

"With who?"

"Girlfriend. From USF?"

He looked startled. "Well, no. We broke up months ago."

A relieved smile appeared on her face, and she tried to keep it from him. "I'm sorry."

"No, you're not," he teased.

"Shh." She scribbled her number on the next clean page of his notebook. "I'm staying here for a week. If you're not busy, you can call me. We can go get some coffee or something." She smiled at the delight on his face.

Charming pushed his glasses up his nose. "I'll find you."

She smiled, trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. "I don't doubt it."


	4. Los Angeles

**Los Angeles**

The roller coaster plunged down, making Mary Margaret laugh loudly and throw her hands up in the air. Her boyfriend looked pale beside her. He gave a shout to release the queasiness of his stomach, making her giggle. Her heart warmed at the thought of him willing to accompany her on the ride despite his fear. It took a bit of pleading on her side and puppy dog eyes to make him cave in. She laughed when he said that she was lucky he loved her that much.

After the ride, he told her to stay put as he went to the bathroom. He had bought her some cotton candy before that, and she was munching on her blue candy cloud as she watched musicians play. The sunset behind them created a perfect view, a beautiful ending for a great day in Santa Monica.

She didn't hear the warnings of an on-coming couple on roller skates heading straight towards her. She turned a little too late and looked a bit dazed when she found herself on the ground in the middle of tangled limbs.

Mary Margaret pushed herself up to her feet and was about to tell them to watch where they were going when the words died in her throat. The sight of Prince Charming made her gape, and her stomach did some weird flips. After her initial reaction, a surge of anger ran through her veins when she realized that it was really him. And he wasn't alone.

Charming pushed himself up, laughing, before helping his lady friend up. Mary Margaret waited for him to call her in New York, but he never did. She stayed by the phone for hours until the very last minute. The only time she pulled herself away from the device was when she was going to be late for her flight home.

"You." He looked up. His laughter stopped at the sight of her. The blonde clinging onto him pushed away some of her hair covering her eyes, glancing over at her before at him. Mary Margaret felt embarrassed. "Sorry. I thought you were someone else." She turned to walk away, blinking back a few tears and wondering where her boyfriend was to save her.

"No, wait," Charming said, grabbing her arm. Mary Margaret glowered at his hand on her arm before looking up at him. "I – I'm so sorry."

He didn't have to say anything else for her to know that he didn't mean the skate incident. He looked like he wanted to say more, but the blonde beside him asked, "Babe? Do you two know each other?" There was no malice or skepticism in her voice, just plain curiosity.

"No," Mary Margaret said quickly, pulling her arm away. She pretended to laugh it off despite her feelings. "No, we don't."

He looked a bit helpless. "Kathryn, this is… she's the one who helped me back in San Francisco. Remember? The one kind enough to wash the coffee stain off my shirt?" Mary Margaret pursed her lips together to keep her eyes from watering even more. So, that was what he thought of her. The girl who washed his shirt way back when.

"Oh, right," Kathryn said, her expression brightening. "Hi. Thank you for doing that. His clothes never smelled better."

Charming's face expressed mock annoyance. "Hey. That's not nice."

Mary Margaret looked down, fighting the urge to run. A hand was suddenly on her back, and she felt a surge of relief when her boyfriend's voice said, "Hi, honey." Charming's expression turned to surprise at the sight of him, and she felt pride swell up inside her chest. "Who's this?"

"Just some acquaintances I met a few years back," she smiled up at him. She placed a kiss on the underside of his jaw and smirked to herself when she noticed Charming's eyes narrowing just a little. Two can play at this game, Charming. "Well. It's nice bumping into you again."

"Likewise," Charming said tightly.

There was an awkward air between the two couples before Kathryn cleared her throat. "We should get going. It was nice meeting you." Mary Margaret gave her a small smile. Kathryn pulled Charming with her as they skated away. She couldn't help the pang in her heart as she watched them. Charming gave her one last glance before turning to face where he was heading.

Her boyfriend wrapped an arm around her shoulders tightly. "Are you okay? You look upset."

"I'm okay."


	5. Maine

**Storybrooke**

Mary Margaret hauled the last of the big boxes into her new apartment and sagged with relief when she was finally able to close the door behind her. She leaned on it heavily for a while, looking at the mess of boxes currently scattered over her floor. The apartment was a nice change from the empty shell of a house her mother had recently departed from.

Regina Mills, her father's new wife, had given her the apartment as a sort of welcome present for her. After Eva died, Mary Margaret was never the same, and her father decided that it would be best if she moved into Storybrooke to keep an eye on her. She complied, knowing that she really didn't have any choice in the matter. It wasn't like she had anywhere else to go. Her mother's empty apartment haunted her every night.

Her dream of living in San Francisco was thrown out the window. For some reason, she always pictured Charming there despite them only meeting once in her two-year stay. She pictured him and his girlfriend, married, with two kids. If she was going to start a new life, she had to let the past go. And that past included him.

Time went by quickly as she unpacked the boxes and placed everything where they belonged. She brought some of her mother's favorite things and sold everything else. Most of Eva's favorite items are for the kitchen. Mary Margaret can't help but feel wistful at the thought of following her mother's recipes all on her own.

By the time she had finished unpacking the last of the boxes, it was already dark outside. Her stomach growled angrily, reminding her that she had skipped lunch. Now that she had a break to think about it, she had skipped breakfast, too. She looked around her new apartment and actually smiled for the first time in months. A tight smile, but a smile nonetheless, at the progress she had made and how the apartment actually looked homey.

It wasn't exactly like home like her mother's used to be, but it was something new. Something new, and it was hers. It was a new start.

She got into the tub and had a quick shower to rinse off the dirt and sweat that clung onto her skin. Her father had invited her earlier over to his new house with Regina for dinner, and Mary Margaret knew he was doing his best to make sure she still feels like a part of his new family. Though she appreciated his effort, she highly doubted it'll work. Her family included Eva, his new one didn't.

After dressing herself warmly in a pair of dark jeans and a light blue sweater, she threw in a scarf and a thick coat before walking out the door. Leo had warned her that nights tended to be colder in Storybrooke. She tried to close the door and frowned when it popped back open. She pulled the handle to close it, but it wouldn't cooperate. It closed when she went inside earlier. Why was it acting up now?

She pulled again in frustration and groaned when it won't latch on. She was so engrossed in her task that she didn't notice the footsteps coming up from the stairs behind her. She pulled again for a long time with both hands. After a few seconds, she let it go, glared at it, and threatened it silently to test her patience. She watched it with bated breath and let out a loud groan when it popped back open.

A chuckle behind her made her jump and turn around. The man was sporting a black leather jacket, a scarf and a black beanie, making her think she might be underestimating the cold outside. "The last occupant used to make the whole building shake whenever she closed her door," he told her. "Here. Let me try." He reached over and pulled the door with more force than she deemed necessary. After a few seconds, she let out a sigh of relief when it didn't budge.

"Thank you," she sighed before locking it. She turned around to introduce herself when the words died in her throat. He looked startled when their eyes met. "What the hell are you doing here? This is my new apartment, my new life. I will not have you ruin that for me!"

Charming raised his hands up in surprise. "Whoa. I'm sorry. I didn't realize you held that big a grudge against me." She huffed and was about to walk away when he stepped in front of her. "You cut your hair."

"No," she gasped, pretending to touch the side of her neck to feel her long hair before giving him a pointed look. He grinned at her expression, and it took a great deal of effort not to smile back at him. She was still pissed at him at what he did. "If you'll excuse me, I have better things to do than stand here and look at your _charming_ face."

"Oh," he laughed, standing in her way again. "Do I? Do I really have a charming face?"

Mary Margaret huffed in frustration, pushing him away, but he was too strong for her. "Can you please get out of my way? I can report harassment and have you removed from the building. My stepmother happens to be the mayor of this town."

He blinked. "Regina Mills is your stepmother? That's new."

"Yeah, well, so am I. Now, let me go." He had the audacity to grin at her, making her even more annoyed than she already was. "Why do you keep smiling at me?" she snapped.

"I've forgotten how beautiful you are," he told her, making her roll her eyes. "And I find irritating you incredibly entertaining."

She scoffed. "Well. We should schedule this irritation-fest some other time. I'm supposed to be meeting my father for dinner, and I'm running late. So if you'll excuse me…"T

"Wait a minute. Wait a minute," he told her, stopping her by holding on to her shoulders. She let out a frustrated sigh. His expression turned serious as he searched her eyes. "Why are you so mad at me? Is it because of what happened in New York?"

"No," she lied. "I've been through a lot this year, and I'm starting fresh. The last thing I need is another appearance of the guy I've been bumping into in the weirdest of places. I want to forget everything. I want to leave everything in the past behind, where they belong, especially the bad parts."

"And I'm one of the bad parts," he said slowly, as if wanting her to say the contrary. She held her breath and looked away, folding her arms over her chest. He let her go gently before murmured, "I am. I'm sorry to hear that."

The silence stretched on for a moment. While that was happening, memories were rushing into her head. The enjoyment she felt while talking to him, the way he looked in her kitchen, the way he looked as he worked in the library, the look he gave her before skating away in Santa Monica, everything. She realized that the reason why she was so mad at him was because he made her vulnerable to him without even trying.

"Why didn't you call me?" she said quietly. He looked up at her in surprise. "I told you I was staying in New York for a week. I waited by the phone."

"I was supposed to…"

She interrupted him. "The next time I saw you, and trust me the last thing I wanted was to see you again, you were with a girl. I know – I know I have no right to assume things, but… I did. Okay? I was stupid. I should've known you were just playing with me. But how could I? I barely knew you. I keep asking myself why I was so hung up on you –."

"Listen to me. I was supposed to…"

"I'm not finished!" she snapped, making him close his mouth immediately. "I met you three times before Santa Monica. Three times! All of them so unpredictable, so… real. You were charming and funny, and I… don't know. I just… I came up with weird daydreams about us because I was pretty sure you were interested in me when we met in New York. But apparently, that's not true."

She took a moment to catch her breath as he looked at her warily. "I swore I'll never think about you again. I doubt I'll ever even see you again. Then Santa Monica happened, and I meet your Kathryn," she said, his expression turned pained. "I saw that she's sort of perfect for you. So, forgive me when I say that I want you in my past because just seeing you and remembering what happened… hurts."

"I know I have no right to be hurt because we've never really been together, but..." She was shaking her head, sighing. After a few moments of silence, she closed her eyes and winced, suddenly realizing how much she had revealed to him. "It doesn't matter. I'm sorry. I… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…"

"No, no. I'm glad you told me. You're right," Charming frowned. "I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry that you think I strung you along all this time, but I promise you I didn't. I do have an explanation for what happened. I didn't mean to hurt you, and I certainly didn't plan to lead you on like that."

She was quiet. He took it as a signal to continue. "I was supposed to call you, but I…" Pause. "I lost the page." Her eyes widened. He looked physically pained to say it. "I know. It's the lamest excuse in history, but it's true. The guard had to force me to leave when I stayed there way past closing time trying to find the damn thing. I thought maybe I could just try calling the hotels around the area, but then I remembered I didn't even know your name."

"I was with my dad," she told him quietly.

"What?"

"I wasn't staying in a hotel. I was with my dad," she repeated, trying to fight a smile.

Charming looked frustrated. "See? I… Then I saw you in Santa Monica and knew I blew my chances with you when I saw you with him. You looked really happy, too. And I was so mad at myself." He looked down at his feet. "Kathryn and I were there because of a mutual friend's birthday. We weren't even together anymore, but she wanted to see if we could still salvage the relationship. We were able to for a while, but then we realized that it just wasn't working the way we wanted it to be."

"I'm sorry," she told him.

His voice was light as he repeated the words to her. "No, you're not."

She gave him a pointed look. "She seemed like a really nice girl."

"She is," he said without a hint of residual feelings in his voice. "But she's not the girl for me anymore. It's not fair for us to hold each other back." He paused. "To be honest, I couldn't stop thinking about the girl I've been seeing in the oddest places."

Mary Margaret smiled. They were both quiet, neither of them not sure what to say next. "And now, we're here. In Maine, living in the same building. Talk about the chances of that happening," she said, trying to ignore the drumming of her heart as he took a step closer to her.

"You know," he said, his voice lowering. "After all this time, I still don't know your name."

She smiled up at him, feeling her back pressed up against the wall as he stepped closer. "I don't know yours either, so I guess we're just even." He shook his head at that, smiling. She bit her lower lip before asking quietly, "No girlfriends?"

He shook his head again, his hand slowly going up her arm and making it break out into goosebumps at the contact. "No boyfriends?" he asked, his eyes looking into hers. She shook her head in response and made him smile. "Can you forgive me then? For being the stupid asshole who didn't call you?"

She laughed a little. "I think you're being too hard on yourself."

"Well, I don't think anyone should be allowed to hurt you and get away so easily."

"Such a charmer," she murmured, feeling her eyes close as he leaned in slowly.

She could feel him so close to her as he asked, "Still not going to tell me your name?"

Her lips turned up in a smile. "You're going to have to kiss me first."

Charming finally closed the gap and captured her lips with his. Mary Margaret slowly reached up to wrap her arms around his shoulders, pulling him closer to her. She had many kisses before, but never one like that. Her head was spinning as their lips moved together, and she felt his arms tighten around her waist. He pulled back to ask, "Forgive me?"

"Yeah," she breathed out before kissing him again.

After a moment, he pulled back and pressed his forehead against hers, "I hope you change your mind." She opened her eyes and looked up at him dazedly. "About me being part of your past." His eyes were searching hers. "Because I really would like to see you again and again and again…"

She laughed. He was about to lean in with another kiss when she placed a finger on his lips. "Wait."

"What?"

"I really do have to go," she said apologetically. He frowned. "My dad's waiting for me, and I…"

"Wait," he said, tightening his hold on her. "I've already kissed you, but I still don't know your name." She smiled, suddenly planning to not tell him for a long while. "You better tell me because I know where you live, and I also know that your door doesn't lock properly."

"Are you threatening me?" she asked with a laugh. He nodded, a smile playing on his lips. She shook her head and sighed, pulling away from his arms. He watched her as she straightened herself out before offering her hand. "I'm Mary Margaret Blanchard, your new neighbor. You are?"

The smile that appeared on his face was one that she vowed never to forget. He took her hand and shook it. "It's nice to finally meet you, Mary Margaret Blanchard. David Nolan. Someone who plans to annoy you for a very long time."

She smiled, biting her lower lip. "It's nice to meet you, David."

She was about to pull away when he tightened his hold. "Wait. I have one more thing to ask you."

"What?"

"Go out with me?" he asked, hope in his eyes. "Saturday night."

"I barely even know you," she teased, pulling her hand back.

"Come on. Please?"

Mary Margaret just looked at him before smiling and walking down the staircase. He followed her until the top step. "Is that a yes?"

"I'll let you know tomorrow, Charming."

"Charming?" she heard a smile in his voice. "I told you. It's David. No need for aliases, beautiful."

"I still like Charming better." She turned around at the bottom step to give him a wink. "Goodnight, Charming."

Mary Margaret walked out into the chilly air with the biggest smile on her face. She had never felt this happy before, giddiness threatening to erupt from inside of her. Suddenly, the thought of sitting through dinner with her father and stepmother didn't sound so bad. As she walked towards her parked car, she knew that saying goodbye to David Nolan wasn't really goodbye this time. It was only the beginning of a love story brought about by five serendipitous encounters over the years.

And she can't wait to know what happens next.

* * *

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